1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to virtual worlds. More particularly, the present invention relates to the interaction between real-world digital environments and virtual worlds.
2. Description of the Related Art
Virtual Worlds are computer-based simulations wherein multiple users interact with each other and with objects within the world via a graphical user interface. Users of the virtual world may be interconnected via the Internet and/or other communications mediums and protocols, such as Voice over IP (VoIP).
In a virtual world, a user is typically represented by an avatar, or a virtual representation of the user. This avatar typically takes the form of a semi-realistic being, such as a human or animal, which the user can control using various navigational commands. Through the control of this avatar, the user can interact with other users and perform actions within the world, such as fighting, picking up objects, and using objects, among many others.
FIG. 1 is a screen capture of an example virtual world. Here, a user's avatar 100 has encountered an object 102.
Virtual worlds have become very popular in recent years, and are increasingly used for various purposes including entertainment, training, collaborative work, etc.
One perception of virtual worlds requires an online persistent world, active and available 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to qualify as a true virtual world. Although this is possible with smaller virtual worlds, it is often impractical for a virtual world to run all day, every day. Virtual worlds must include downtime for maintenance that is not included as time passing in the virtual world. While the interaction with other participants is done in real-time, time consistency is not always maintained in online virtual worlds. For example, EverQuest time passes faster than real-time despite using the same calendar and time units to present game time.
Virtual worlds can generally be divided along a spectrum ranging from massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), where the user playing a specific character is a main feature of the game (World Of Warcraft, for example), and massively multiplayer online real-life/rogue-like games (MMORLGs), where the user can edit and alter their avatar at will, allowing them to play a more dynamic role, or multiple roles.
Some would argue that the MMO versions of other games are also virtual worlds if the world editors, such as GtkRadiant allow for open editing of the terrains if the “source file” for the terrain is shared. Emerging concepts include basing the terrain of such games on real satellite photos, such as those available through the Google Maps API or through a simple virtual geocaching of “easter eggs” on WikiMapia, where permitted.
Virtual worlds are well-known as being fantasy spaces sealed off from the real world, but more careful analysis reveals that the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds is quite porous. Participants constantly arrive and depart from the world, carrying with them their unique set of behavioral assumptions and attitudes that cannot be disentangled from their interactions in the virtual world.
For example, in virtual worlds which bring together players from multiple cultural backgrounds, a participant in a virtual world brings their own cultural preconceptions about those other cultures across the boundary into the world while playing. The term magic circle has been used to describe the imaginary barrier between the virtual world and the real world. The fantasy environment of the virtual world is protected from the intrusion of real life by this magic circle, but practices such as the sale of virtual items and virtual currency for real life currency challenges this separation while reinforcing the notion that objects in the virtual world have real life value.
A virtual economy is the emergent property of the interaction between participants in a virtual world. While the designers have a great deal of control over the economy by the encoded mechanics of trade, it is nonetheless the actions of players that define the economic conditions of a virtual world. The economy arises as a result of the choices that players make under the scarcity of real and virtual resources such as time or currency. Participants have a limited time in the virtual world, as in the real world, which they must divide between tasks such as collecting resources, practicing trade skills, or engaging in less productive game play. The choices they make in their interaction with the virtual world, along with the mechanics of trade and wealth acquisition, dictate the relative values of items in the economy. The economy in virtual worlds is typically driven by in-game needs such as equipment, food, or trade goods.
The value of objects in a virtual economy is usually linked to their usefulness and the difficulty of obtaining them. The investment of real world resources (time, membership fees, etc) in acquisition of wealth in a virtual economy may contribute to the real world value of virtual objects. This real world value is made obvious by the trade of virtual items on online market sites like eBay.
Furthermore, economics can be injected into virtual worlds indirectly by the inclusion of advertising into the 3D environment.
Businesses no longer only compete in the real world, they also compete in virtual worlds. As there has been an increase in the buying and selling of products online (e-commerce), this combined with the rise in the popularity of the Internet has forced businesses to adjust to accommodate the new market.
Many companies and organizations now incorporate virtual worlds as a new form of advertising. There are many advantages to using these methods of commercialization. An example of this would be Apple creating an online store within “Second Life”. This allows the users to browse the latest and innovative products. Using virtual worlds also gives companies the opportunity to gauge customer reaction and receive feedback. Feedback can be crucial to the development of a project as it will inform the creators exactly what users want.
Another use of virtual worlds in business is as a virtual gathering place. Many businesses can now be involved in business-to-business commercial activity and will create a specific area within a virtual world to carry out their business. This can be useful for a variety of reasons. Business can be conducted with companies on the other side of the world, so there are no geographical limitations. It can also increase company productivity, since knowing that there is an area where help is readily available, or ideas can be easily exchanged, can aid the employees.
Virtual worlds also represent a powerful new medium for instruction and education. Persistence allows for continuing and growing social interactions, which themselves can serve as a basis for collaborative education. The use of virtual worlds can give teachers the opportunity to have a greater level of student participation. It allows users to be able to carry out tasks that could be difficult in the real world due to constraints and restrictions, such as cost, scheduling or location. Indeed, entire schools could be created in a virtual world, allowing students in rural areas to gain access to the benefits of interacting with people from other geographic areas and also to allow for a more diverse student population.
Virtual worlds have the capability to adapt and grow to different user needs. They can be a good source of user feedback, the typical paper-based resources have limitations that Virtual Worlds can overcome.
Virtual worlds allow users with specific needs and requirements to be able to access and use the same learning materials from home, as they would be receiving if they were in a presentation. This can help users to keep up to date with the relevant information and needs while also feeling as though involved. Having the option to be able to attend a presentation via a virtual world from home or work can help the user to be more comfortable. The flexibility of virtual worlds has greatly improved the options for student study and business collaboration.
Even non-profit businesses can benefit from the use of a virtual world. A museum could, for example, recreate its exhibits in a virtual world and open up its benefits to people who are unable to travel to the museum. An art museum, for example, could allow for high-definition images of paintings to be viewed online as users walk through a virtual version of the museum.
As can be seen, the bounds of virtual worlds are limited only by a creator's imagination.